Throckmorton's Reed seeks first state championship

Thomas Metthe/Reporter-News
Throckmorton head coach Mike Reed gives a play to Tucker Brown during the third quarter of Throckmorton's 78-52 win in the six-man Division I state semifinal. Reed and Throckmorton (13-0) face Borden County (13-1) today at Shotwell Stadium for the six-man Division I state title.

Tommy Metthe/Abilene Reporter-News

FOURTH TIME A CHARM?

Throckmorton's Reed seeks first state championship

If the Throckmorton Greyhounds are to earn their first state championship since 2005 and the first for coach Mike Reed, they'll need to get through another perennial power to do it.

Borden County, which will be making its fifth appearance in a six-man title game, will provide the opposition in today's 2 p.m. Division I championship at Shotwell Stadium. The Coyotes, who won state championships in 1997, 2008 and 2009, enter with a 13-1 mark.

Throckmorton (13-0), a former Class 1A power which lost in an 11-man championship game in 1986 to Burkeville, will be making its third showing in a six-man title contest. The Greyhounds defeated Turkey Valley to win the 2005 championship, and fell to Garden City at Shotwell Stadium last year.

Today's game will be the first of two six-man championships at the venue. Richland Springs (14-0) and Motley County (14-1) will square off for the Division II title at 7 p.m.

"It's why you get into the profession and start working every August," Reed said. "When you coach football you want to go as far as you can possibly go and I'm lucky to have a chance to do that.

"But any time the journey gets longer and you start getting this deep in the playoffs, you get to see a part of the kids' lives that is more than just about football and that's one of the most rewarding parts of it.

"Playing in these games will have an influence on how these kids make decisions and handle adversity later in their lives."

Reed speaks from experience.

Today's game will mark his fourth venture into a championship game as a head coach, having led Rule to title games in 2006 and 2007, along with last year's appearance with Throckmorton.

He has yet to win a championship.

"On a personal level, I never stress over the wins and losses," Reed said. "Wins and losses come and go and at the end of it all, I hope I'm not judged on state championships.

"I really don't put much stock in the winning or losing of a state championship game."

Not that Reed doesn't have a plan in mind for how to get his first ring.

On the contrary, he and his staff have been scouting Borden County for more than two weeks and have come to the conclusion that the game is winnable, if they can maintain the proper mindset.

"Being patient will be important," Reed said. "We can't have the expectation of stopping them every time they have the football.

"We'll have to get our stops when we can and not give up the big plays."

While Borden County is more than capable of getting its yardage in big chunks behind quarterback Tanner Richey (87-of-142-, 1,825, 35 TDs), the possession game is the Coyotes' true specialty.

Running primarily out of the "tight" formation, Borden County has used running back Austin Fields (222-2,529, 36 TDs) to simply pound its way through the postseason bracket.

Throckmorton, by comparison, prefers an up-tempo approach, scoring a school-record 73 points per game behind quarterback Tucker Brown (76-of-104, 1,732 yards, 31 scores) and spreadback C.J. Hantz, who has produced more than 2,000 all-purpose yards and 45 touchdowns.

"Borden's a team that doesn't make mistakes," Reed said. "They're a team that capitalizes on a situation and makes the best of it.

"When you're well-coached, you put yourself in position to make plays that will turn the game your way. And Borden County is always in the right place."

Today's doubleheader marks a special occasion for the six-man community, which on one day per year gathers in a large venue to watch its top four teams play for state championships.

It's a far cry from the metal bleachers and sparse crowds they are accustomed to, with as many as 10,000 people attending these events in the past.

"That, to me, is always the most nerve-racking thing about these games," Reed said. "It's a representation of your entire community, because you have to put a product out there.

"There might be 1,000 people in your community, but there's going to be 10 times that number in the stands. So you (worry) about your community's reputation and you don't want to go out there and do anything to tarnish it.

"That's what I stress about the most. ... But it's really quite a celebration for your community, a celebration among the kids, and a celebration of six-man football in general, on its biggest stage."

Note

Fox Sports Southwest will air both six-man championships on www.foxsportssouthwest.com. Veteran six-man broadcasters Jeff Powers and Lonnie King will call the games along with sideline reporter Larry Centers, a 14-year NFL veteran.